1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an animal trap, such as a mouse or rat trap, which is sanitarily disposable without touching the bait or captured rodent and is not susceptible to tripping by or injury to children, cats, dogs and the like. The normally closed animal trap of this invention has a hinged inwardly opening door which has inwardly flaring beveled mating edges with the adjacent walls and has a bias spring urging the door to the normally closed position. The animal trap of this invention has a generally transparent top wall portion to ascertain whether or not the trap is occupied for disposal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Widely used mouse and rat traps having dangerously exposed spring action mechanisms are well known. Disadvantages of these traps include their danger to children, cats and dogs, as well as their unsightly, unsanitary, and generally unpleasant appearance, especially when occupied. Various attempts have been made to provide enclosed animal traps which overcome the above disadvantages and, in some cases, to provide a closed container for sanitary disposal.
An animal trap having an inwardly hinged normally open door is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,735 wherein a trigger holding the door open is separated by the animal's consumption of bait providing closure of the door. The animal traps disclosed by this patent are taught to be cylindrical tin cans, through which one does not have visibility, or bottles, which are breakable, and require legs to prevent rolling. U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,852 teaches a cap for a tin can, the cap having a normally open door which pivots in a vertical plane about an extending pivot point, action of which is triggered by action of the animal on a bait holder inside the can. The door must be latched open each time and legs on the cap assembly prevent rolling of the tin can. U.S. Pat. No. 2,216,644 teaches a guillotine gravity operated door which is normally open in the cap of a disposable glass jar. The vertically sliding door is released by an animal entering the trap and disengaging a latch. U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,066 discloses a cylindrical container having a spring loaded conical door which is normally open, the animal triggering closure by disengaging the conical door from a retainer. The trap lies on its side tending to roll and has the disadvantage that setting it may be finger-pincher. Also, if too large an animal attempts to enter the trap, it may become impaled between the released door and its frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,432 teaches a trap, specifically designed for the habits of brown rats, having a horizontal opening with a door held normally open by a trigger mechanism which is tripped by an entering animal to close the door. The top is preferably a steel mesh so that one may see through the cover to determine occupancy of the trap. U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,892 teaches a rodent trap having a hinged normally open door, the trap having a bottom of two contiguous bottom surfaces forming an obtuse angle whereby the animal enters the trap, causes the trap to tip and the door to close with the animal inside due to a shift of the center of gravity of the occupied trap. The door must be latched shut to prevent escape of the animal from the trap. U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,241 teaches an animal extermination trap which does not have a door but has an opening through which an animal enters, causing the trap to tilt, mixing two chemical components which forms foam surrounding, killing and encapsulating the animal. Movement of this trap by a dog or any other animal not entering it may also cause foam formation and render the trap worthless.